The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-06-30

uatlOn ana SHDmlG inc WnOlS mAtCer tC
your better judgment"
Altogether u False Alarm.
COLUMBIA, juno 21.--In accordance
with instructions from the home office, /
went to Laurens yesterday to investi-
gate the rumors which have been Sc
wildly circulated as to an uprising OF
colorod farm laborers, and came back
to- day satisfied that nine -tenths of the
reports have been without justification.
The negroes have been tricked by
Hoover and men Of his stamp into en-
tering labor association, which is use
less to them and which they do not I'M
derstand. Hoover holds the fees and
they hold the meetings. They have a
blind idea that joining such an organiza-
ton will help them financially. If, as is
reported, not per cent. of the negroes
III that section work for wages, it is i'm
possible to sec what good strike would
do them. They contract to cultivate the
crops for share, and as the crop is al
most laid by now n violation of these
contracts would simply save money to
the farmers.
AS to the talk of insurrection tho pco-
pie IN the town of Laurens have no faith
In 1T. 1t is impossible to trace the
rumors to this effect to any authentic
source; There is less uneasiucss and
concern in the town of Iarrons on this
subject than there is in Charleston or
Columbia. All work is going on quietly
III tho section alleged to be threatened
and the concurrent opinion of every one
L spoke to in Laurens was that nothing
could be ascertained or seen by going
thus far.
The section where the labor organiza-
tons exist is near the Grcenvillo and
Spartanburg lines. Tho whites are in
the majority. There is no county in the
State where the negroes have been
longer and more completely within the
control of the whites than in Laurcns.
An insurrection would simply mean their
own Oblitcration. Besides this, there is
no issue which could so excite them as
to make them desperate. There is no
conflict of wages, such as led to the rice
field strikes Of 1876. They have the
prospect of gathering the finest crops
they have had for a decade. Their fu-
turc IS full Of hope for material success.
The sum Of the whole matter is that
the negroes have been kept SO complete
ly under control in LaurcnS county that
organization of any kind is unusual to
them, and the fact That have now or
ganlZed for an underlined agrarian pur-
pose is enough to make SOmc foolish or
unreasonable people imagine vain things.
The people of the town of Laurcns arc
infinitely more concerned in the build
ing OF their cotton factory than in this
thing, which is n sensation to those at
great distances from the scene OF the re.
ported trouble.
Your Laurcns correspondent has for.
warded SO full an account that it is un.
necessary for me to say moro than this
Colonel Imynham, of the Governors
staff, came down to-day with me from
Laurens. He refused TO make any state
ment for publication, but intimatcd thai
had about heard all the facts from,
Captain Irby. My talk with Captain
lrby assisted me in forming the conclu-
sion set forth above. Colonel Traynham
made brief verbal report to the Governor
this evening and went to bed. His Ex-
cellcncy could not DO found at home,
nor would he be seen for moment at
the meeting of the trustees of tho Uni
versity, which he is attending and which
will last for hours yet, but it may be
confidently assumed tonight that Col.
Traynham's conclusion agrees substan-
TALLY with those of Captain Irby, and
that neither he nor the Governor is
alarmed at the prospect
All Quiet in Spartanburg.
SPARTANBURG, June 21.-Furthor in
vestigation to-day Strengthens me in my
opinion that the negroes Of this county
90 not contemplate strike, or any vio-
lencc. They are not fools enough to
wait until their crops arc nearly finished
with the finest prospects they have had
for years, to begin revolution that
would damage them in every possible
way.